Melbourne Esports Open and IEM pushed into 2021

The Melbourne Esports Open will no longer take place in August 2020, joining a growing list of game events affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There is positive news, though: a 2021 replacement has already been confirmed to take place on the weekend of August 21-22.

This means IEM is also cancelled, which was set to be the Melbourne Esports Open's headline attraction. One related event is still going ahead, though: the 2020 League of Legends Oceanic Pro League will still take place on August 28, with more details set to be announced by Riot.

"This decision has been reached in light of the current global health situation, and is in line with protective measures implemented in respect of mass gatherings, and importantly, is made in the interest of safety for players, staff, and fans looking to attend the event," the statement read.

All tickets purchased for 2020 event will be valid for the 2021 replacement, though refunds are available at point of purchase, too.

Shaun is PC Gamer’s Australian editor and news writer. He mostly plays platformers and RPGs, and keeps a close eye on anything of particular interest to antipodean audiences. He (rather obsessively) tracks the movements of the Doom modding community, too.